Georgia QB Justin Holman commits to UCF

After landing a commitment from 2013 Jacksonville First Coast cornerback D.J. Killings Monday, the Knights added a pledge from another highly-recruited player to the recruiting class on Tuesday. Stone Mountain (Ga.) Stephenson High quarterback Justin Holman told the Orlando Sentinel he committed to UCF.

“I feel solid about my decision,” said Holman, who had narrowed his final four to UCF, Marshall, N.C. State and Wake Forest. “I sat down and talked about it with my family and UCF popped up.”

Holman (6-4, 201) is rated a two-star prospect by 247Sports but has a strong offer list, picking UCF over schools such as Arizona State, Missouri, N.C. State, Wake Forest and others.He is the fifth commitment of UCF’s 2013 recruiting class.

Holman said he picked the Knights because of his connection with the team’s coaching staff, including offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Charlie Taaffe and his primary recruiter, running backs coach Danny Barrett.

“They were real genuine, real honest,” Holman said. “They let me know everything up front and let me know they were coming after me. I liked what they had to say.”

Holman has earned praise for his arm strength and mechanics. He entered this offseason as an under-the-radar prospect because Stephenson High uses a run-oriented offense, which was led by nationally-recruited South Carolina running back signee Mike Davis. With Davis getting so many carries, Holman’s stats took a hit and he threw for just 750 yards.

However, his stock took off in April after a strong showing on the camp and combine circuit.

“I won MVP at the VTO camp (March 24 in Marietta, Ga.,) and the next day, I woke up and my coach told me I had an offer from Marshall,” Holman said. “That was my first offer and I was ecstatic with that. It just took off from there.”

Quarterback is a big need for the Knights. Rising sophomore Blake Bortles was UCF’s lone quarterback on scholarship during spring practice, Although Missouri sophomore transfer Tyler Gabbert and incoming freshman Troy Green of Skaneateles (N.Y.) are enrolling this summer and will add some depth to the roster, UCF still needs more scholarship athletes at the position. Former starting quarterback Jeff Godfrey has return to the UCF football program, but he is slated to primarily play wide receiver.

“Playing time is not a deal breaker for me,” he said. “It’s not a big thing to me, but the fact I have an opportunity to come in and maybe play early, that was a good thing for me.”

Holman said the combination of room at the quarterback position, UCF’s impending move into the Big East in 2013 and the comfort level he had with the Knights’ coaching staff, made him feel UCF was the perfect fit.

“They were excited about getting me,” Holman said. “That’s one thing, the school really has to want you and I feel like UCF really wanted me.”